A Career of Service, Leadership, and Legacy
Reflections from CMDCM Blake Schimmel ’89 (Ret.), U.S. Navy
As he retires from active service after an extraordinary 35-year career in the United States Navy, Command Master Chief Blake Schimmel ’89 reflects with pride on a lifetime defined by leadership, teamwork, and service to others.
Throughout his career, Schimmel served in some of the Navy’s most elite and demanding roles, including years in Special Operations as an SWCC and at Joint Special Operations Command. He also had the distinct honor of serving as the Senior Enlisted Leader for the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team. While each assignment carried unique challenges and rewards, Schimmel notes that his most meaningful tour was serving as the Command Master Chief aboard one of the Navy’s ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Leading and managing 5,000 Sailors at sea, he says, was both the most challenging and the most fulfilling responsibility of his career.
Schimmel credits St. John’s Northwestern with playing a formative role in shaping the leader he became. His four years at the academy instilled discipline and a “work hard, play hard, pray hard” mindset that stayed with him throughout his service. Just as importantly, SJN exposed him early to people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, truly an experience that proved invaluable as he led Sailors from all walks of life across the globe.
Several leadership principles were first learned at St. John’s Northwestern: teamwork, attitude, and effort. These guiding tenets became cornerstones of Schimmel’s leadership philosophy. The aforementioned fundamentals, emphasized during his academy years, formed the foundation he relied upon when leading large, complex organizations within the Navy.
Now in retirement, Schimmel continues to give back to the institution that helped shape his life. He is generously sharing his time, experience, and leadership insights with the next generation of leaders by returning to St. John’s Northwestern to speak with students on February 3rd. During his visit, he will discuss leadership, service, teamwork, and the lessons learned from a lifetime of responsibility at the highest levels of the U.S. Navy. Providing students with a rare opportunity to learn directly from one of the academy’s most distinguished alumni.
As a proud alumnus of St. John’s Northwestern, Schimmel reflects optimistically on the future of service and leadership. Having witnessed the evolution of the U.S. military firsthand, he expresses great confidence in the generations that follow. He points to their intelligence, professionalism, character, and determination as evidence that the future of the armed forces, and of leadership more broadly, is exceptionally bright.
When asked what advice he would offer today’s SJN students, Schimmel emphasizes perspective and purpose. Though he never planned on making the Navy a career, he feels fortunate to have spent 35 years doing work he loved. He believes success in life is less about financial gain and more about meaningful work, strong friendships, and shared experiences. His advice is simple but powerful: strive to become the best version of yourself, remain open to new opportunities, invest in relationships, and always work as part of a team. No one succeeds alone, and surrounding yourself with good people makes all the difference.
As Blake Schimmel ’89 steps into retirement, his career and his continued commitment to giving back stand as a powerful example of what is possible when strong values, disciplined leadership, and a dedication to service come together, all rooted in the foundation he built at St. John’s Northwestern.